Toy merry-go-round



Dec. 7, 1965 H. BLOOM 3,222,063

TOP MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed June 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HARRY BLOOM ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965 H. BLOOM 3,

TOP MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed June 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46' 25 ms xw 68 Ji 7 t? l I .52 6.9

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N Fig: Z INVENTOR.

3 HARRY BLOOM 6m 64 2 BY 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,222,063 TOY MERRY-GO-ROUND Harry Bloom, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Bayshore In- This invention relates generally to toy merry-go-rounds or carousels on which children may ride.

An object of this invention is to provide a motor driven merry-go-round or carousel of suflicient strength to safely support the weight of children riding thereon, and which is constructed so as to minimize the cost and thereby make feasible its production and sale as a toy.

A particular object is to provide a toy merry-go-round with a turntable carrying seat-defining members that can be mounted by children, and wherein the turntable is of light-weight, but strong construction capable of resisting asymmetrically applied loads and having a relatively small height so as to easily permit boarding by children.

A further object is to provide a base for supporting the rotatable turntable, which base is of small height and constructed so as to resist substantial deflection upon severe loading thereof.

Still another object is to provide a toy merry-go-round in which the turntable is adapted to be rim driven by the shaft of an electric motor, thereby to minimize the cost of the drive.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in .the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor driven toy merry-go-round or carousel in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged axial sectional view taken along the line 2-2 on FIG. 1, and showing the structure by which the turntable of the merry-go-round or carousel is rotatably supported;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken along the line 33 on FIG. 2, and showing details of the construction of the supporting base;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 on FIG. 1, and illustrating details of the construction of the turntable and the drive therefor;

FIG. 5 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating further structural features of the turntable; and

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit for the motor driving the merry-go-round.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a toy merry-go-round embodying this invention, and there generally identified by the reference numeral 10, comprises a turntable 11 mounted on a base 12 for rotation about a vertical axis and carrying two or more, equally spaced apart seat defining members 13, which may be in the form of horses, unicorns or other real or fanciful animals, and a drive assembly 14 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which is operative to effect rotation of the turntable 11 at a desired speed.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the base 12 includes four legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 of straight metal tubing arranged with their longitudinal axes in the same horizontal plane, and having their inner end portions extending between square, rigid upper and lower bracing plates 19 and 20, respectively. The legs 15 and 17 are arranged with their axes extending parallel and laterally offset relative to each other, while the legs 16 and 18 are also arranged with their axes parallel andlaterally offset relative to each other, but extending at right angles to the axes of legs 15 and 17. Further, legs 15 and 17 are positioned so that their longitudinal axes are substantially in line with diagonally opposed corners of the plates 19 and 20, and legs 16 and 18 are positioned with their axes aligned with the other diagonally opposed corners of the bracing plates. The inner end portions of legs 15 and 17 overlap longitudinally and are spaced, at opposite sides, from the centers of plates 19 and 20, and the inner end portions of legs 16 and 18 similarly overlap longitudinally and are spaced .from the centers of the bracing plates so that the inner end of each of the legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 substantially abuts against the inner end portion of a leg extending at right angles thereto. Thus, the inner end portions of the legs form a substantially box-like enclosure around the central portion of the space between plates 19 and 20.

Each of the legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 is rigidly secured between the bracing plates 19 and 21 in the position described above by means of vertical bolts 21 and 22 or other suitable fastening means extending diametrically through the tubular legs and through the bracing plates at locations adjacent the inner end of the leg and adjacent the related corners of the bracing plates, respectively. Each of the legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 has a foot 23 (FIGS. 1 and 4) extending downwardly from its outer end and preferably provided with a rubber or other resilient tip 24 so as to avoid marring of a surface on which the base 12 may be supported.

Although the illustrated base 12 has four legs extending from the bracing plates 19 and 20, it is to be understood that three or more legs may be employed, so long as such legs are equally angularly spaced apart and have their inner end portions arranged in the space between the bracing plates so as to envelope the center of such space by a rigid structure.

It has been found that, with a base 12 having the above described construction, a very large load can be applied at the center of the bracing plates 19 and 20 without causing substantial deflection of the legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 from a horizontal plane even though such legs extend a substantial distance from the center of the base to prevent tipping thereof when subjected to unbalanced loads. F-urther, it will be apparent that the base 12 having the desired stability, strength and rigidity may be easily assembly from inexpensively manufactured components so that such components, namely, the legs 15, 16, 17 and 18 and the bracing plates 19 and 20 may be sold in a disassembled or knocked-down condition and erected or put together by the purchaser.

The turntable 11 includes a circular disk 25 of plywood, chip-board or other suitably rigid, relatively lightweight material, and a circular skirt 26 of relatively thin, flexibly resilient sheet metal depending from the periphery of disk 25. The skirt 26 is preferably formed of a suitably wide strip of resilient sheet metal having a length slightly larger than the circumference of disk 25, with the opposite ends of such strip being lapped and spotwelded together to form a joint, as at 27 on FIG. 1. Metal angles 28 are spot-welded to the inner surface of the skirt 26 at locations adjacent the upper edge of skirt 26 and equally spaced apart along the circumference of the latter. Wood screws 29 or other similar fastening means are extended through apertures in the angles 28 and screwed into the disk 25 for securing the skirt to the periphery of the latter.

As shown on FIG. 2, flanged, internally threaded pipe couplings 30 and 31 are respectively disposed above and below the disk 25 at the center of the latter and are rigidly secured to the disk 25 by means of bolts 32 extending through the fianges of both pipe couplings and through the intermediate disk 25. A solid shaft 33 has its upper end screwed into the lower pipe coupling 31 and is further secured and centered with respect to the disk 25 by means of a screw 34 extending through a central hole in disk 25 and being receivedin an axial, tapped bore opening at the upper end of shaft 33. A sleeve 35 telescopes over shaft 33 and abuts, at its upper and lower ends, respectively, against the pipe coupling 31 and against an upwardly dished collar 36 which is centrally apertured to permit the shaft 33 to extend downwardly therethrough. Elongated, relatively thin metal reinforcing straps 37 are secured, at their inner ends, as at 38 on FIG. 2, to the periphery of dished collar 36 and radiate upwardly and outwardly from the latter to equally spaced apart locations at the underside of the edge portion of disk 25. Bolts 39 extend through disk 25 and the outer ends of reinforcing straps 37 for securely attaching the latter to the disk.

The purpose of the above described construction of the turntable 11 is to minimize the weight of the latter, thereby to permit the rotation of the turntable by a drive motor of relatively small horsepower, and at the same time ensure that the turntable will be capable of resisting all loads likely to be applied thereto, particularly loads that are asymmetrically located with respect to the center of the turntable, without undergoing appreciable deviation of the disk 25 from its normal horizontal orientation. When a relatively large load is applied downwardly to the disk 25 at a location near the periphery thereof, thereby tending to incline the disk 25 from its normal horizontal plane, such load tends to raise the diametrically opposed side of disk 25 and causes increased tension in the reinforcing straps 37 extending to that opposed side for resisting any inclination of the disk 25 from its horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of shaft 33. Since the straps 37 need only resist tension loads, the same can be formed of thin strip material for satisfying the relatively low weight requirements. The described construction of the turntable 11 further minimizes the height thereof so that, when the turntable is mounted on the base 12, as hereinafter described in detail, the disk 25 will be at a level permitting easy boarding or disembarking by children.

As shown on FIG. 2, the lower end portion of shaft 33 is mounted in a combined thrust and radial bearing 40 centrally carried by the upper bracing plate 19 of base 12, and further extends through a radial bearing 41 centrally carried by the lower bracing plate 20. A collar 42 is screwed on the lower threaded end 43 of shaft 33 for preventing upward removal of the shaft 33 from its assembled relationship with the base 12. It will be seen that the dished collar 36 on shaft 33 which is engaged from above by the sleeve 35 rests on the thrust bearing 40 and thereby transmits the downward components of loads on the turntable 11 to the bearing 40 of base 12 at the center of the bracing plate 19, that is, within the box-like enclosure or structure defined by the inner end portions of the legs 15, 16, 17, and 18 (FIG. 3). It has been found that such application of the loads to the base 12 further ensures that the latter will not distort or defleet even under very high loads.

Each of the seat defining members 13 includes a plastic body 44 intended to be mounted by a child and molded in any desired shape around a reinforcing metal frame (not shown) which is integral with a depending pedestal 45. As shown, the pedestal 45 may be in the form of a tube Or pipe threaded at its lower end, as at 46 (FIG. 4). In order to mount each of the seat defining members 13 on turntable 11, the disk 25 has flanged pipe couplings 47 (FIGS. 1 and 4) secured at suitable locations on its top surface, as by bolts 48 and the threaded lower end 46 of each pedestal 45 is screwed into a related one of the pipe couplings 47.

If desired, a pipe 49 (FIG. 2) may be provided with a lower threaded end screwed into the central flanged pipe coupling 30 mounted on the upper side of disk 25, and may be surrounded by a decorated ornamental sleeve 50 of cardboard or other material. A conventional umbrella 51 may also be provided with a central, relatively short shaft (not shown) insertable in the open upper end of pipe 49 so as to constitute a canopy for the merry-go-round or carousel.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the drive assembly 14 for the merry-go-round or carousel 10 includes a variable speed electric motor 52 of relatively low horsepower, for example, an electric sewing machine motor, having an elongated drive spindle or shaft 53. The motor 52 is mounted above one of the legs of the base 12, for example, above the leg 18. The motor 52 is disposed inwardly with respect to the skirt 26 of turntable 11 and has its shaft or spindle 53 extending radially outward with respect to the axis of rotation of turntable 11 and projecting under skirt 26. The mounting for motor 52 on leg 18 preferably includes a conventional barrel hinge 54 having one of its leaves 55 secured in a vertical plane at one side of leg 18 by bolts 56 extending through the latter, while the other leaf 57 of the hinge is secured by screws 58 (FIG. 4) to the housing of motor 52. A torsion spring 59 is provided on the pin 60 of hinge 54 to yieldably urge the leaf 57 upwardly to a vertical position.

As shown on FIG. 4, a rim 61 of extruded rubber or other elastomeric material extends along and embraces the lower edge of skirt 26 and is engaged from below by the spindle or shaft 53 of motor 52. The skirt 26 is vertically dimensioned so that the bottom edge of rim 61 lies in a horizontal plane that is substantially below the level of the top surface of shaft 53 when the leaf 57 of hinge 54 is in the vertical position to which it is urged by torsion spring 59. Thus, as shown particularly on FIG. 5, upon engagement of rim 61 with shaft 53, the hinge leaf 57 is angularly displaced from its vertical position against the action of spring 59 which thereby serves to urge shaft or spindle 53 into secure frictional contact with the rubber rim 6 If the lower edge of rubber rim 61 deviates from a horizontal plane, the action of spring 59 will nevertheless serve to maintain the frictional driving engagement of shaft 53 with the rim during rotation of turntable 11.

By reason of the very small diameter of shaft 53 in relation to the circumference of rim 61, the driving engagement of shaft 63 with rim 61 constitutes a high ratio speed reducer so that a high speed electric motor 52 can be employed for rotating the turntable 11 at a relatively slower speed, but with a substantial mechanical advantage.

It will be apparent that the described direct drive from the motor shaft 53 to the rim 61 of skirt 26 is an extremely simple arrangement, and such arrangement is made possible by the hinged mounting of the motor 52, and further by the fact that the rim 61 is provided on a skirt 26 of resiliently flexible metal. Thus, when the skirt 26 is kicked or otherwise subjected to radially directed impacts, such impacts do not cause permanent deformation of the skirt 26, and the latter returns more or less to its original cylindrical configuration. Further, by reason of the relatively long spindle or shaft 53 engaging the rim 61, the latter may deviate substantially from its circular configuration without effecting disengagement of the rim from the drive shaft.

In order to permit control of the operation and speed of the motor 52, the energizing circuit for the motor (FIG. 7) preferably includes a switch 63 and a speed control 64, for example, in the form of a potentiometer, connected in series between the motor and the usual electric supply lines 65. The switch 63 and potentiometer or speed control 64 are preferably mounted within a box or casing 66 secured on a bracket 67 which is attached to the leg 18 by means of the bolts 56 (FIG. 5) A toggle 68 is shown extending from the top of box or casing 66 for actuating the switch 63, while a rotatable knob 69 is disposed at the front of casing 66 for adjusting the speed control 64 (FIGS. 1 and 4).

It will be seen that the various components of the merrygo-round or carousel 10, namely the turntable '11, the base 12, and the drive 14 are formed of simple and easily manufactured or purchased components which are simply assembled together to provide a surprisingly rugged toy capable of withstanding the usual hard usage of children and yet being capable of being sold at a relatively low price so as to make valid its classification as a toy.

Although an illustrative embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A child-carrying merry-go-round comprising a base, a turntable having a fully exposed depending peripheral skirt of resilient sheet metal with an elastomeric rim along the lower edge thereof, means mounting said turntable in vertically spaced relation to said base for rotation about a vertical axis, seat defining members mounted on said turntable and each adapted to carry a child, an electric motor having an elongated shaft, mounting means supporting said motor on said base at a location radially inward from said skirt and with said shaft extending horizontally under said rim substantially radially relative to said axis of rotation of the turntable, said mounting means permitting movement of said motor in directions having vertical components for displacing said shaft toward and away from said rim, and spring means urging said motor to move in the direction displacing said shaft toward said rim for frictionally driving said turntable.

2. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 1;

wherein said mounting means for the motor includes a hinge having first and second pivotally connected leaves secured to said base and motor, respectively, with the pivoting axis of said leaves extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, and said spring means is constituted by a torsional spring acting against said leaves and urging said second leaf of the hinge upwardly, thereby to elevate said shaft.

3. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim '1;

wherein said base includes a pair of vertically spaced,

coextensive, horizontal bracing plates supporting said means mounting the turntable at the center of said plates, elongated tubular legs extending horizontally outward from between said plates and having depending feet at the outer end portions of the legs, said legs being equally angularly spaced apart around said axis of rotation of the turntable and having their inner end portions spaced radially from said axis with the inner end of each leg substantially abutting against a side of the inner end portion of an adjacent leg, and bolts securing together said plates and legs, said bolts extending diametrically through each tubular leg adjacent the peripheries of said plates and adjacent the inner end of the leg.

4. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 1;

wherein said base includes a pair of vertically spaced,

coextensive horizontal bracing plates supporting said means mounting the turntable at the center of said plates, four elongated tubular legs extending hori= zontally outward from between said plates and having depending feet at the outer end portions of the legs, a first pair of said legs extending parallel to each other in opposite directions and being laterally offset with respect to each other, the other pair of said legs also extending parallel to each other and being laterally offset, with said other pair of legs extending at right angles to said first pair of legs, the inner end portions of each pair of legs being longitudinally overlapped so that said inner end portions of the legs form a substantially square structure around the center of the space between said bracing plates, and bolts securing together said plates and legs, said bolts extending diametrically through each tubular leg adjacent the peripheries of said plates and adjacent the inner end of the leg.

5. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 4;

wherein said bracing plates are square and said *bolt extending through each leg adjacent the peripheries of the plates passes through corner portions of said bracing plates.

6. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 1;

wherein said turntable includes a disc at the top thereof having said skirt extending downwardly from the periphery thereof, a shaft secured to said disc at the center of the latter and extending downwardly from said disc, a collar on said shaft spaced downwardly from said disc, and reinforcing tension straps extending radially outward and upward from said collar and having their outer ends secured to the underside of said disc adjacent said periphery of the latter.

7. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 6;

wherein said base includes a pair of vertically spaced, coextensive, horizontal bracing plates, elongated tubular legs extending horizontally outward from between said plates and having their inner end portions crossing each other between said plates so as to surround the central area between the plates, and means securing together said plates and inner end portion of the legs; and

wherein said means mounting the turntable on the base includes a combined thrust and radial bearing carried by the upper bracing plate of said base, and a radial bearing carried by the lower bracing plate, said shaft of the turntable being received by said bearings with said collar resting on said thrust and fadial 'bearing for transmitting vertical loads to the atter.

8. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 7;

wherein a flanged coupling is secured to the underside of said disc at the center of the latter and receives the upper end of said shaft, and a sleeve is disposed on said shaft between said coupling and said collar to transmit vertical loads to the latter.-

9. A child-carrying merry-go-round as in claim 1;

wherein said motor is of a variable speed type; and further comprising a circuit for energizing said motor including an on-off switch and speed control means.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CHILD-CARRYING MERRY-GO-ROUND COMPRISING A BASE, A TURNTABLE HAVING A FULLY EXPOSED DEPENDING PERIPHERAL SKIRT OF RESILIENT SHEET METAL WITH AN ELASTOMERIC RIM ALONG THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF, MEANS MOUNTING SAID TURNTABLE IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID BASE FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SEAT DEFINING MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID TURNTABLE AND EACH ADAPTED TO CARRY A CHILD, AN ELECTIC MOTOR HAVING AN ELONGATED SHAFT, MOUNTING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID MOTOR ON SAID BASE AT A LOCATION RADIALLY INWARD FROM SAID SKIRT AND WITH SAID SHAFT EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY UNDER SAID RIM SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY RELATIVE TO SAID AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE TURNTABLE, SAID MOUNTING MEANS PERMITTING MOVEMENT OF SAID MOTOR IN DIRECTION HAVING VERTICAL COMPONENTS FOR DISPLACING SAID SHAFT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID RIM, AND SPRING MEANS URGING SAID MOTOR TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION DISPLACING SAID SHAFT TOWARD SAID RIM FOR FRICTIONALLY DRIVING SAID TURNTABLE. 